The Wildlife of Madagascar

Depart the United States for Madagascar.

Upon arrival at Antananarivo International Airport, clear customs and immigration, meet your local guide, and transfer to your hotel. This is a travel day and no meals are included. Please note operational days for flights to Madagascar are subject to change without prior notice and there might be need for additional hotel nights at Antananarivo at additional cost. Check-in starts at 12 pm.

Meet your group and guide for breakfast in the hotel restaurant at 6:30 am. After breakfast and a short briefing, check out and visit a local clinic - Polyclinic Adventist Soamanadrariny then and travel east through green and luxuriant vegetation. Stop in Marozevo and spend some time at Peyrieras Nature Farm, a small, private reserve. This is a good photo opportunity for endemic chameleons, bats, frogs, and unique insects like the endangered comet moth, one of the largest moths know to science. Have a picnic lunch at the farm before continuing on to Andasibe. This part of the country is characterized by many primary forests, lakes, and a humid climate. Set amid a eucalyptus plantation about four miles from the Analamazaotra Reserve entrance, Vakona Forest Lodge is considered one of the most comfortable hotels in this area. The individual bungalows are thoughtfully scattered throughout the grounds and each boasts generous space, a private bathroom, an electric heater, a mini bar, and a safe.

This morning, visit Analamazaotra Reserve to spend the day photographing in the Andasibe region. This tropical wet forest is home to the largest of all lemur species: the indri. Before returning to the lodge for lunch, visit a local primary school and interact with the students. Return to the lodge for lunch, then visit Vakona Reserve and Lemur Island, a sanctuary for displaced lemurs that were former pets and not suited for reintroduction into the wild. The rescued lemurs are island-bound but free-ranging and present outstanding photo opportunities of a nice selection of species. At about 5:30 pm, depart for an evening walk in the forest to look for frogs, chameleons, moths, leaf-tailed geckos, mouse lemurs, and other nocturnal animals at VOIMMA Community Reserve. The acronym stands for Vondron’olona miaro mitia ala, which translates to "local people love the forest." Return to the hotel at about 8 pm for dinner.

Begin the day with breakfast at the hotel, then drive about eight miles to Mantadia National Park. Walk within the park for the chance to spot a variety of lemurs, including the indri, diademed sifaka, black-and-white ruffed lemur, grey bamboo lemur, common brown lemur, and red-bellied lemur. Also watch for birds such as couas, vangas, sunbirds, and ground-rollers. Have a picnic lunch within the park. In the afternoon, continue your time at the park before heading back to the
hotel. Make another visit to Lemur Island on the hotel property. This evening, return to VOIMMA for another nocturnal walk.

Early this morning, visit Analamazaotra Reserve for some final photographic opportunities in the Andasibe region (with picnic lunch). Later, drive to the seaside village of Manambato and from there, take the ferry to Akanin’ny Nofy, which means "Nest of Dreams." After an early dinner, take a nocturnal excursion by boat in search of the unusuallooking
aye-aye lemur.

Today, spend time in the Akanin’ny Nofy private reserve, also known as Palmarium Park. The park covers approximately 124 acres in the Lake Ampitabe area, on a peninsula between the Pangalanes Channel and the Indian Ocean. Discover endemic flora, such as rare palm trees, orchids, and mahoganies. Up to 10 lemur species can be seen in the park, including the black-and-white ruffed lemur, black lemur, crowned lemur, Coquerel’s sifaka, and a brown-and-crowned lemur hybrid. After lunch at the hotel, go to the beach to photograph some frogs and local flora. Have an early dinner, and then take the boat to the peninsula for a second nocturnal excursion to find the aye-aye.

After breakfast, transfer by boat to Manambato and drive back to Antananarivo. Arrive at the hotel in Antananarivo in time for dinner.

After an early breakfast, transfer to the airport for your flight to Fort Dauphin on the southeast coast. Upon arrival, have lunch, then continue to Berenty. Berenty is a privately owned reserve that lies only 50 miles from Fort Dauphin. However, the road is long and bumpy, so be prepared for an adventurous four- to five-hour drive through local villages and stunning countryside. Upon arrival in Berenty, settle into your room and have a short rest, followed by dinner. Later, take a walk through the spiny forest, looking for nocturnal species such as the grey mouse lemur, the white-footed sportive lemur, chameleons, and birds. (Please note that the schedule of internal flights within Madagascar is subject to change without prior notice. Depending on final flight schedule, the final itinerary might be different.)

Spend the next four days exploring the Berenty reserve along its network of trails. The reserve is home to five species of lemurs, a resident colony of Madagascar fruit bats or flying foxes, and 96 bird species. Berenty is famous for its lemurs because of the ease with which they may be seen here in the wild. Red-fronted brown lemurs occur in large numbers during the day, and both white-footed sportive and grey mouse lemurs are regularly encountered on night walks. The ring-tailed lemurs and Verreaux’s sifakas are frequent favorites. Be on the lookout for the numerous Giant Coua, as well as any other species you may have missed so far. Before dinner each night, enjoy walks within the spiny forest to look for nocturnal species.

Full day at Berenty private reserve.

Full day at Berenty private reserve.

Morning at Berenty private reserve. Have lunch then return to Fort Dauphin for overnight.

After breakfast, transfer to the airport for flight to Antananarivo. Have dinner at a local restaurant.

This morning, visit Lemur Park, a small botanical garden and lemur reserve, with lunch on-site. There is a possibility of photographing nine lemur species, including the very rare crowned sifaka, mongoose lemur, and black lemur. Then spend the afternoon at a bird park in the middle of the city for final photographic opportunities. Have dinner at the hotel. If you are continuing on the post-trip extension, stay the night at Palissandre Hotel. Otherwise, head to the airport for your departure flight; hotel check-out is at 11 pm.

Arrive home following your overnight flight.